Hello All,

Please see the information from the last department council meeting.  This meeting was the last meeting held on April 26.  Next meeting is July 5.  If you have any questions for the department, please let me know before then.

Thanks,

Becky

CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Mask mandate Wearing of masks at UM will no longer be mandated as of May 1. Mask wearing is however encouraged.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

• Graduate Studies Committee - Increase PhD departmental assistantships to $24,500/year (currently $24,000) and MSc departmental assistantships to $21,500/year (currently $21,000) effective September 1, 2023

REPORTS

• Graduate student report - Lauren Gislason reported that two PSGSA events were cancelled lately due to lack of interest and poor weather. The FAFS graduate student get-together was successful. Dr. Entz asked Lauren what the PSGSA thinks about Dr. Paliwal’s proposed integrated agriculture course to be taken by all FAFS graduate students. Lauren thinks this would be very useful.
• Support staff report - Becky Dueck reported that the safety seminar on May 1 will be held in 290 Education.

Dr. Cattani responded to Becky’s question about a new lunch/coffee room. Room 310 will remain a meeting room but when not booked for meetings, can be used as a staff lunch/coffee room. A sink will be re-installed in the room.

NEW BUSINESS

• Visit by Dr. Scanlon - Dr. Scanlon reported that he is willing to extend his term as Dean for two more years and that he will not seek re-election. He asked members what issues they want dealt with in the next two years:

• Building security: Members do not feel safe. The entire campus will eventually be accessed using key cards. Dr. Scanlon can ask for the Agriculture Building to be moved up in this process. He was asked if the Plant Science wing could be secured separately during evenings and weekends. He will look into this as well as securing the greenhouse area during evenings and weekends.

• Replacement of our Point facilities and adding storage space to the prairie crops and soils research facility

• Curriculum and student experience: Spaces for students to get together are needed in the Agriculture complex. The Dean responded that with reduced need for computer facilities, space for this will become available.

• Classroom equipment: In the ideal world, all classrooms would have a web cam to facilitate the hybrid experience.

• Controlled Environment Facility: The Dean reported that he has received no feedback on the request to UM for the controlled environment facility. There is currently no new funding at UM for infrastructure.

• To enhance the curriculum, establish a space in the new controlled growth facility for a farmers market.

• Department Head: Dr. Cattani has agreed to extend his acting head role until June 30, 2024. They are currently looking at re-structuring departments within FAFS to facilitate greater ownership of degrees.

• Adjunct Professor recommendation Recommendation of Dr. Malcolm Morrison as adjunct professor in Plant Science. Dr. Morrison made a presentation to Department Council for a recent appointment as adjunct professor, so he was not asked to present again.

Seminar attendance

• Dr. Entz indicated that attendance at seminars is low and thinks graduate student attendance at the Plant Science Seminar series and the master’s seminar series should be mandatory. As well, attendance by faculty members should be monitored. The Seminar Committee should put a policy in place to require attendance.

• Faculty members should be required to attend defenses.

• Faculty members should present.

• Lauren Gislason added that attendance at events in general is poor. Graduate students no longer know each other.

• There was a consensus that the department in general is fragmented since COVID.

• Lauren Gislason, Dr. Entz, Dr. McCartney and Dr. Chawla agreed to form a committee to investigate strategies to reunite the department.

• Dr. Cattani added that a “meet and greet” will be held in the summer.